The battle of the bulge is more challenging than ever this Carnival season, with Black & Gold Super Bowl parties colliding with Mardi Gras parades -- not to mention the everyday nutritional land mines that we face year-round. And unless you have monk-like discipline, it can be nearly impossible to pass on all of the season's indulgences that come your way.

RUSTY COSTANZA / THE TIMES-PICAYUNEA traditional King Cake, such as this one from Haydel's Bakery in Jefferson, can have as many as 300 calories a slice.So we're not asking you to. We get it. If there's ever been a time to celebrate, to really blow it out, this is it. But to help you maintain some semblance of nutritional well-being in the next 12 days, we'll provide you with the nutritional information for some Mardi Gras favorites.

So here's the scoop. We'll leave it up to you to decide what's splurge-worthy.

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King cake (3" slice)

300 calories

10 grams total fat

1.5 grams saturated fat

45 grams carbohydrates

Less than 1 gram fiber

6 grams protein

Approximately 300 mg sodium

Three hundred calories isn't bad for Carnival's premier indulgence. But keep in mind, these numbers are for a three-inch slice. That's just a wee bit wider than an iPhone or a BlackBerry.

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Fried chicken (breast and thigh)

750 calories

52 grams total fat

11 grams saturated fat

15 grams carbohydrates

2 grams fiber

55 grams protein

2,260 mg sodium

You knew it was bad, but you may not have realized just how bad. This Mardi Gras favorite clocks in with a full day's worth of sodium and half a day's limit of artery-clogging saturated fat.

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Fried chicken (breast and thigh, breading removed)

200 calories

5 grams total fat

2 grams saturated fat

0 grams trans fat

Less than 3 grams carbohydrates

Less than 1 gram fiber

37 grams protein

550 mg sodium

OK, so I realize that the batter may be the reason you're craving fried chicken in the first place. But for those who can bear to pull the skin off, you'll essentially be left with the nutritional equivalent of grilled skinless chicken.

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Fried chicken (three small strips)

310 calories

15 grams total fat

5 grams saturated fat

11 grams carbohydrates

2 grams fiber

32 grams protein

990 mg sodium

With just over 100 calories and 5 grams of fat each, chicken strips are the way to go if you want fully loaded fried chicken, skin and all.

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Foot-long hot dog (with bun)

455 calories

27 grams total fat

10 grams saturated fat

1 gram trans fat

37 grams carbohydrates

2 grams fiber

15 grams protein

1,475 mg sodium

It's no secret that a foot-long dog isn't diet-friendly. But did you know that it contains nearly twice as much fat as it does protein? Not to mention, it packs in about two-thirds the recommended upper limit for sodium.

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Cotton candy (one cone)

200 calories

0 grams total fat

0 grams saturated fat

0 grams trans fat

50 grams carbohydrates

0 grams protein

Approximately 30 mg sodium

Cotton candy may be fat-free and relatively low in calories, but it's still just pure sugar. And while it may give you a quick boost, the sugar crash can leave you feeling sluggish and hungry a few hours later.

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Light beer (16 ounces)

135 calories

0 grams total fat

0 grams saturated fat

0 grams trans fat

6.5 grams carbohydrates

0 grams fiber

1 gram protein

18 mg sodium

These numbers are for larger pint-size beers. Stick with a regular-sized bottle, and you'll be getting a mere 100 calories per 12 ounces.

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Regular beer (16 ounces)

200 calories

0 grams total fat

0 grams saturated fat

0 grams trans fat

16.8 grams carbohydrates

0 grams fiber

2 grams protein

18 mg sodium

In the big picture of Mardi Gras celebrations, beer really isn't so high in calories. Even if you opt for darker beers (think Abita Amber or Turbodog), you're still right around 200 calories per pint.

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Frozen daiquiri (20 ounces)

1,000 calories

0 grams total fat

0 grams saturated fat

0 grams trans fat

40 grams carbohydrates

0.4 grams protein

Less than 40 mg sodium

So let's walk through this: You could have two foot-long hot dogs, three slices of king cake or five pints any variety of beer, for the calories in one daiquiri? Sooo not worth it in my book.

Nutritional numbers were obtained from the USDA National Nutrient facts database, product Web sites, or directly from the company.